National Collection Spotlight: Correll’s False Dragonhead

Correll’s False Dragonhead (Physostegia correllii) is an imperiled species native to southern Louisiana and Texas, extending into northern Mexico. With less than 15 known occurrences, this rare species is a candidate for listing under the federal Endangered Species Act. Maintenance of genetic integrity, documentation of provenance, and gene banking are therefore essential in ex situ conservation collections.

Correll’s False Dragonhead is secured in the CPC National Collection at Mercer Botanic Gardens, where the species is held in orthodox seed banking and living collection. Mercer Botanic Gardens also has extensive experience with propagation research and protocols for this species. Some of the seed held at Mercer dates back to 1988–part of a collection from wild populations of the plant in Cameron Parish, LA.

Learn more about conservation actions taken for Correll’s False Dragonhead on its National Collection Plant Profile, and help support critical conservation work for this species with a Plant Sponsorship.